Update: Some Jefferson Gas Customers Losing Service

Update: Some Jefferson Gas Customers Losing Service

Some residents who live in rural Clark County will soon lose their source of natural gas as Jefferson Gas, LLC abandons a pipeline that’s more than 100-years-old.

Some residents who live in rural Clark County will soon lose their source of natural gas as Jefferson Gas, LLC abandons a pipeline that’s more than 100-years-old.

The company sent a letter to 79 households at the end of March that said the KZ pipeline would be shut off on June 24.

This means those customers now need to find a new energy source for things like heating and using their stoves.

“I cannot – I do not have the money to do all this,” Bobby Bailey, a customer on that gas line, said.

Bailey isn’t the only one who will struggle with the financial burden of switching to propane or electric. He said many of his neighbors are looking at paying thousands of dollars to make the switch.

It was a financial decision for Jefferson Gas to shut down the pipe. The company said it has operated the line for 10 years and it is too old to continue to repair.

According to Gene Mapes, Jefferson Gas President, they are making daily repairs that costs the company more than $10,000 a month on the 20 mile stretch of that gas line.

Mapes said with just an eleven person staff, they cannot continue to send two employees a day out to fix the pipeline

Jefferson Gas said it will repay expenses to customers up to $500 as they switch energy providers. The customers will need to mail in paid receipts, their current address and have their bills paid in full by June 24.

Bailey said the community is holding a town meeting this Saturday, April 12th at 1 p.m. to discuss its options. That will be held at a school near the Pilot View Store in Winchester.